Courageous Conversations About Identity
Available As:
In-house training
- Face-to-face (flexible structure <15 people)
- Live virtual (flexible structure <15 people)
- Conferences and events (<500 people)
- Webinar (1hr introduction <1000 people)
- With or without actors
- Fully customisable
Courageous Conversations about Identity
Our identities are complex and multifaceted. It’s what makes us so interesting and unique as individuals. Creating safe spaces for conversations about our identity’s and our differences helps to build common understanding and greater emotional intelligence.
By exploring our responsibilities and the dynamics in these complex conversations, this course empowers people to be curious, to develop empathic communication skills, and to start having great conversations that help to unlock the value of diversity.
Course Content
My identity
Understanding what makes us unique and what that means to us is a helpful starting point to explore our identities. This activity encourages participants to reflect on all the different aspects that make up their identity and which of those are most important to them when being understood by others.
Creating brave spaces for conversations about difference
When we talk about difference it’s important that the participants in that conversation feel safe, but we also need to be brave in overcoming our own fears about having courageous conversations. We look at how being curious and using genuine inquiry are valuable behaviours for encouraging these conversations and consider how to recognise when someone else is comfortable or uncomfortable.
The balance of responsibility in courageous conversations
When we instigate a courageous conversation it’s important to recognise there may be a lot at stake psychologically for everyone involved in the conversation. Each of us is complex and none of us are perfect. Making sure that conversations about identity result in learning requires us to identify where we might feel threatened, to mitigate this, and to be receptive to feedback.
Finding a meaningful starting point for the conversation
How we approach conversations about identity has a direct impact on the outcome of that conversation. We look at several ways to approach the conversation and practical things individuals can do to prepare themselves to have a courageous conversation.
Sustaining and multiplying value after the conversation
Having courageous conversations is a great way to encourage psychological safety and build common understanding but what you do with that increased understanding is critical. We consider how we can turn the things we learn from courageous conversations into meaningful action to help shape the environments around us.
Let's Talk!
We’re advocates of crafting tailormade solutions that ensure you meet objectives and maximise budgets. Contact us to book a meeting to scope the right solution for your organisation, together.
What About Actors?
Through clever script writing, goose-bump inducing delivery and professional facilitation we can bring so much to life. We stimulate emotion, penetrate the long-term memory and create lasting change.
When we use live drama, we are able to have the actors play out the scenario and then be hot seated for the audience to ask them questions whilst they remain in character. Hot seating works so well because actors work with a pre-rehearsed backstory, so they are able to respond in character. They progressively reveal unexpected elements of their story that will not have previously been told. It can bust assumptions that the audience might have made based on the scenario (situation) but not fully understanding the impact at first sight.
Using actors in this programme enables us to bring to:
- Bring both the subtle, and not so subtle, inappropriate behaviours to life, literally
- Provide attendees with an opportunity to explore the fine line between what is and isn’t acceptable
- Give attendees a chance to challenge the actors whilst they are still in character
- Demonstrate that things aren’t always what they seem at first glance
- Provide delegates with an opportunity to test out alternative ways of approaching what can often be sensitive situations
- Create a goosebump-inducing learning experience that sticks in the long-term memory
Don't Just Take Our Word For It
Steve Malloy
Senior Manager, AX Automotive“Every single session, we turn up and look around the room thinking everyone knows it all and by the end of it, we’re taking some really interesting and helpful management styles and tips away to use in our business. It’s been hugely helpful and would hugely recommend it!”
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